deal with somebody/something phrasal verb ( see also ↑ deal )
1 . to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem SYN handle :
a strategy for dealing with disruptive pupils
Don’t worry, I’ll deal with this.
deal with a problem/issue/matter etc
The council has failed to deal with the problem of homelessness in the city.
deal effectively/adequately etc with something
They should deal properly and fairly with any complaint.
2 . if a book, speech etc deals with a particular subject, it is about that subject:
These ideas are dealt with more fully in Chapter Four.
3 . to do business with someone or have a business connection with someone:
Most travel agents do not deal directly with these companies.
4 . to succeed in controlling your feelings about an emotional problem so that it does not affect your life SYN cope with :
How’s he dealing with the whole thing?
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1,2,3&4)
■ nouns
▪ deal with a problem
Both countries are having to deal with the problem of violence in urban areas.
▪ deal with an issue/matter/question
New laws were introduced to deal with the issue.
▪ deal with a situation
For a while I had no idea how to deal with the situation.
▪ deal with a crisis
The President has flown home to deal with the crisis.
▪ deal with a complaint
Working in the Customer Service Department, you become an expert in dealing with complaints.
▪ deal with an enquiry
Our staff will be able to deal with any enquiries.
▪ deal with an emergency
All our ambulance drivers are trained to deal with emergencies.
▪ deal with a challenge
I chose this job because I like having to deal with new challenges every day.
■ adverbs
▪ deal with something effectively
Most schools don't deal with the problem of bullying very effectively.
▪ deal with something successfully
Most of these issues have now been successfully dealt with.
▪ deal with something adequately
Our National Health Service does not deal adequately with the question of old age.
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THESAURUS
▪ deal with something to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem:
We need to deal with problems like pollution and climate change.
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I spend most of my day dealing with customer enquiries.
▪ handle to deal with a problem or difficult situation by making particular decisions. Used especially when talking about how well or badly someone does this:
He handled the situation very well.
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Most customers were happy with the way their complaints had been handled.
▪ tackle to start to deal with a problem, especially one that is complicated:
We need to tackle the issue of drugs in schools.
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The government is introducing new measures to tackle online crime.
▪ see to/attend to somebody/something to deal with all the practical details of something that needs to be done or organized. Attend to is more formal than see to :
My son saw to all the funeral arrangements.
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I have some business to attend to.
▪ take care of something to do the work or make the arrangements that are necessary for something to happen. Used especially when you do this for someone else so that they do not have to worry about it:
My secretary takes care of all the paperwork.
▪ process if a company or organization processes a letter, form etc, they do the things that are usually done as part of their official system, in order to deal with it:
It will take a minimum of 14 days to process your passport application.
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I called their office, and they said that my request was still being processed.